Monday, June 29, 2009

A Photo Tour - Shady Canyon

Unlike Saturday - I did get out for my 15 mile run yesterday (yeah!). I needed to freshen things up a bit, so I decided to try a new route. What I found was a bit of a hilly challenge, but one of the prettiest runs I've been on in quite a while. I though I would spend today's blog giving you all a little tour. (And - Easterners - note how green everything is here in Southern California!)

I started the run at Bonita Canyon Park, about a mile from home. It's a relatively new park built primarily for youth sports:

I took off to the east along the back of the University of California, Irvine, one of the rising stars in the UC system. One of the reasons for this is they have been able to attract faculty by supplying housing. Here's a picture of some of those homes. If these were offered to the public in this area, they would sell for at least $850,000:


Next, we pass our version of "Bible Mile". Within a mile are the Latter Day Saints (Mormon) Newport Beach Temple:


St. Matthews Anglican Church:


The non denominational Mariners Christian Church:

And Tarbut V'Torah Community Day School:


You get the idea about what it's like living in a Master Planned Community. Just past the school, I made a right and started up the hill into a neighborhood called Shady Canyon. For all the years I've lived here, I've never been through this neighborhood. Shady Canyon is a pretty exclusive community (a lot of pro athletes live here -Mark McGwire had a home here, an bunch of ex-major leaguers and a number of Anaheim Ducks hockey players also live here). I always thought that I wouldn't be able to make it past the gates. Well, in the infinite wisdom of the community planners, it turns out the trails through Shady Canyon are open to the public.

What awaited me was a very scenic, albeit hilly run. The views were pretty amazing throughout the community:



You can bet those homes way up there on that ridge cost a pretty penny (upwards of $5 million):


I headed on down to the 7 and a half mile turnaround point, turned around, and headed back up the hill:


But, I had to stop and refuel. Somewhere along the way, the sun had come out and the heat was on! By 9 miles I had gone through 40 ounces of water. I stopped in this park to refill and grab a Clif bar and a Gu (Espresso Love - yum!):

Another 5 and a half miles put me back at Bonita Canyon. 15 miles total in a slow 2:45 (11:01 average pace). Average heart rate was 77% of max. The two "H"s conspired against me - hills and heat. But - it was a great little route - one I will definitely do again soon!

10 comments:

  1. congrats on the 15 miler. great views. don't have much of that here on the east coast.

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  2. Oh, wow - beautiful run! I felt like I was running it with you, with all the photos! Wish I had some of that scenery where I'm from!

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  3. Nice run! And Southern California may be green in some parts but it's also smoggy ...unlike the Bay Area :)

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  4. Great run! The pics show that the course is a great one. It is great that there is hardly any traffic around.

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  5. Love that trail. I used to nanny in shady. :) Major $$$! :)

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  6. Wow, that is some cool country! What neat trails. It looks incredibly scenic. Thanks for sharing; that is so different from what I see around here!

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  7. glad you were able to get your long run in. love the pics! some of those stretches there don't look too shady, like ky. haha. nice job getting it done.

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  8. it was HOT HOT HOT!!! Hated it! but you got out and did it!!

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  9. This one sounds like a keeper. I love when I discover a new route, don't you?

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  10. One of the good things about those master planned communities are all the trails...

    Nice run. Thanks for all the pix. I know exactly where you were!

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